Palestinian security forces have withdrawn from towns and villages in Jerusalem classified as Area B in the Oslo accords, Anadolu Agency reports.

According to local sources, Palestinian forces left the northwestern towns of Iksa, Qatanna, and Biddu, as well as the northern Abu Dis and Izarriya towns.

During a meeting with the heads of security forces, PM @DrShtayyeh said, “The Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank represents an existential threat to the Palestinian national project & an end to the two-state solution.” #Palestinepic.twitter.com/kNHvK9cwfT

Though the Oslo II Accord inked in 1995 between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, designates area B as subject to Israeli security control, Tel Aviv allowed Palestinian security forces to be deployed there because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Palestinian officials are yet to comment on whether the move was related to recent remarks by President Mahmoud Abbas on Palestine’s withdrawal from past agreements with the US and Israel as Tela Aviv is expected to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank.

On Tuesday, Abbas announced his leadership will be ceasing all arrangements with Israel and the US in light of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s annexation plans.

“The Palestine Liberation Organization and the State of Palestine are absolved, as of today, of all the agreements and understandings with the American and Israeli governments and of all the obligations based on these understandings and agreements, including the security ones,” the president said at a leadership meeting in Ramallah.